Musical instrument.



. PATBNTED JULY 26, 1904. P. H. FAIRGHIID. l MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.nPLIoATIoN rILnn 00121. 1903.

F0 MODEL.

Q a IVITJVESSES.

Patented July 26, 1964.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK H. FAIROHILD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHNS. THRASHER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,027, dated July 26,1904.

Application iiled October 2l, 1903. Serial No. 177,861- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. FAIRCHTLD, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in MusicalInstruments, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved musical instrument; and its objectis to provide a Wind instrument which will give forth sounds differingfrom those produced by any instrument in the nature of a horn, iute, or-whistle and which is Very simple and cheap in construction and uponwhich it is easy to learn to play.

To this end the invention consists in the particular construction,arrangement, and combination of parts, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure lis an elevation of adevice embodying the invention, showing theside in which the sound-opening is-located with parts broken away toshow the construction; and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the same onthe line m a; of Fig. l.

As shown in the drawings, A is a tubular body portion formed of a thinmetal tube closed at one end by a capB screwed thereon, said cap beingprovided with outwardly and inwardly extending bosses B', having anaxial opening through 'which the rod O passes and forming an extendedbearing therefor. The cap is also provided with openings B2 for theescape of the air contained in the cylinder or body A behind the pistonD, said piston consisting of a cup-shaped head fitting closely withinthe body to slide therein and secured to the inner end of the rod O. Adisk B3, of leather or other suitable material, is secured upon theinner boss against the inner side of the cap and forms a buifer for thepiston. The piston is secured to the end of the rod by reducing said endto form ashoulder thereon and to pass through an opening in the head andby forming a head D2 on the end of the reduced portion Dl to engage awasher D3, interposed between said head and the piston, a flexiblewasher D4, of rubber or other suitable material, being interposedbetween the piston and the shoulder, so that the head is secured to therod against longitudinal movement thereon, but free to have a slightlat- 5 5 4 eral movement, thus preventing it from binding and stickingin the cylinder.

Fitted tightly within the body A, near the opposite end thereof fromthat closed by the cap B, is a plug E, formed of any suitable materialwhich is not appreciably affected by varying temperatures, so that itmay be driven hard into the tube or body, and at its upper side thisplug' is cut away or provided with a flat portion E', so that a passageE2 is formed 65 between the plug and tube, the plug being cut away at anincline to its axial line, so that the passage will be contracted towardthe rear end of the plug. In the tubular body at the rear side of theplug and opposite the passage 7C E2 is cut a notch or sound-opening F,the edge of the metal tube opposite the end of the passage being formedwith a feather-edge F.

A mouthpiece G is provided with a tubular portion G to I'it closelyWithin the end of the 75.

tube adjacent to the plug and is contracted to form a narrow throatportion G2 and formed with a flaring or bell-shaped end G3 to be pressedagainst the lips.

The rod C is bent twice at right angles, 8O forming the two parallelportions C and O2, the portion C extending within the body and havingthe piston secured to its end and the portion O2 passing outside thebody and close to the side thereof, its end being turned at right anglesand provided with a handle O3, extending radially outward from the body.By thus bending the piston-rod the handle, whether the rod be extendedor not, is always adjacent to the body in a position to support the sameand to be easily and accurately operated, the operator being able tomove the piston much more accurately and easily by having the handlewhere it can be grasped without extending the arm. The piston and rodbeing free to turn within the body the handle may be turned to extendradially outward from any side thereof, and therefore the operator mayoperate the same with either hand or in any'position to suit hisconvenience. The body being a thin metal tube formed with thesound-opening having the feather-edge when the player blows into thesame the body vibrates and produces pleasing tones, the length of thevibrations being determined by the position of the piston, which may bemoved to make any note desired within the range of the instrument, thefeatheredge of the sound-opening and the size and shape of the passageE2 being essential elements in determining the quality of the tones.

In using the instrument theplayer grasps the mouthpiece with one handand presses the flaring end against his lips, while with the other handhe grasps the handle which operates the piston and at the same timesupports the body, which is thus free to vibrate and gives a much morepleasing tone than it would if the hand of the player came in contactwith it.

By providing the flaring mouthpiece the instrument may be held firmlyagainst the lips and the piston operated without injury to lips or teethby the jar or vibration, and by connecting the piston to the rod asdescribed the movement of the piston will not be hindered if the rod isnot guided accurately, and thus the piston will move freely withoutbinding at all times.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim isl. In a musicalinstrument, the combination of a cylindrical body having a sound-openingin its side and provided with a mouthpiece, a plug in the body cut awayto form a passage adjacent to said opening, a piston in said body, a rodattached at one end to said piston and formed with two parallelportions, one to eX- tend within the body and the other to extendoutside the same adjacent to the side thereof, and a handle on the endof the outer portion of the rod.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a tubular body having asound-opening, a plug in the body adjacent to said opening and forming apassage, a flaring mouthpiece iitted within the end of the body adjacentto the plug, a cap on the opposite end of the body Vprovided with a bosshaving an axial opening and provided with openings, a buffer secured tothe inner face of the cap, a cupped piston within the body, and a rodhaving parallel portions, one end of one portion attached to the pistonand the end of the other portion provided with a handle extendingradially outward from the body.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. FAIRCHILD.

Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, J oHN G. THRASHER.

